Irish 2000 Guineas (Group 1)

Ten line up for the Irish Guineas. No Dawn Approach no superstar for the Irish crowd to admire. The form though is represented by Van Dee Neer third at Newmarket 7 1/4 L behind Jim Bolger’s colt. Richard Hughes is making all the right noises about this fella saying he’ll come on from Newmarket and in truth he sets the benchmark here. He is joined by stable companion Havana Gold who ran second to Toronado in the Craven and then went to Lonchamp to run fifth in a blanket finish in the French equivalent going down 3/4 L.

A place in front of him that day was Gale Force Ten who on jockey bookings looks to be the Ballydoyle second string. The main act of the Aidan O’Brien quartet is Magician  on the back of the impressive Dee Stakes victory where he had 4 L to spare over Contributer who was then turned over in a match at Goodwood. The manner of the win justifies favouritism but the step back in trip from 10 f to a mile is a concern as is the reliability of the form. The third string of O’Brein is George Vancouver whose run in the Guineas was a long way short of his juvenile form.  As a two year old he was only 3 1/4 L behind Dawn Approach in the Dewhurst and then won the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita. Flying The Flag who couldn’t land a blow at Lonchamp but did run second in the Futurity to First Cornerstone on heavy last year makes up the team.

Another stepping down in trip is Trading Leather who plugged on in the Dante to take second behind the 33/1 shot shocker Libertarian.

First time officially in the trainers column is the name JP Murtagh. Responsible for two in the race Ask Dad was supplemented at a cost of €30,000. He would appear to be here on pacemaking duty which was possibly part of the deal involving the one Johnny rides, Sheik Mohammad’s newly acquired Fort Knox the winner of the Guineas trial at Leopardstown. Run on bad ground he showed his superiority over an ordinary field and if he can handle this better ground he could give the dream start to Johnny’s already burgeoning training career.

It’s an open Guineas and the sun is shining over the Curragh with the ground riding good to firm. These are the conditions which in 2008 saw Henrythenavigator demolish New Approach. His son George Vancouver thrived in similar conditions at Santa Anita and if your willing to forgive the Newmarket run then he’s the one who can emulate his father.

Recommendation : George Vancouver 12/1 ew